With a significant proportion of Westmorland and Furness being coastal and with large areas of higher ground, the possibility of impact from storms and severe weather is considerable and our coastal and inland areas are regularly impacted by such weather patterns, especially during autumn and winter months.
When severe gales and heavy rain are forecast, it can not only damage property but can threaten life, especially where there is potential for falling trees on the road network or falling debris from buildings. Storms can also seriously disrupt communications and utility supply infrastructure.
Severe weather warnings include severe gales, flooding and heavy rain, dense fog and snow / freezing rain / widespread icy roads.
Storms leading to severe gales and/or flooding are the most common cause of disruption and damage in the council areas and the UK Met Office issues warnings to the public in order for residents to prepare and protect themselves against the consequences of a severe weather event.
On Wednesday afternoon and through the evening (27 September) the current forecast is for strong winds and rain associated with Storm Agnes, with wind gusts predicted to reach up to 70mph.
Westmorland and Furness is expected to be most severely affected from mid-afternoon on Wednesday until 7am on Thursday.
Impacts could include trees brought down, damage to overhead rail wires and the possibility of power outages resulting from damage to transmission infrastructure.
In addition there is a chance of structural damage to any unsecured structures, a risk of airborne debris from the strongest gusts and road, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible.
The highways team at Westmorland and Furness Council receive weather alerts from our forecasting providers and the team ensure that, where necessary, there is an increase in resources out on the network for the period of the weather event.
This includes the ability to clear and remove dangerous trees that have fallen or affect the road network. We have teams who work throughout the night to ensure that the roads are safe in the morning, however the teams can only react to calls from the police and the public, when they are reported.
Storms can also highlight any issues with blocked drains on the road network.
There are 74,000 drains in Westmorland and Furness, some of which will become blocked, especially in the autumn due to falling leaves and other debris washed into them in periods of heavy rain. The council has a proactive programme of clearing drains, but also relies on residents to let us know when a drain becomes blocked by reporting the problem so that we can prioritise its clearance.
We encourage the public to drive carefully on the road network during any severe weather incidents and to report any road hazards, during or following the storm.
The best and most convenient way to report a highways issue is online.
Alternatively, in an emergency requiring an immediate response, you can call the highways hotline number on 0300 373 3306 or the out-of-hours emergency number on the website.
An emergency on the highway is defined as something that is very likely to present an imminent threat to life, serious injury or cause serious damage to property. Our team will assess the severity of the report and will escalate accordingly.
Councillor Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet member for Highways and Assets, said: “During severe weather we would always encourage the public to take extra care when out and about and to be aware of the additional hazards that such storms can bring.
“Our highways teams work tirelessly year-round to keep the network running and autumn and winter is always a busy time.
“If you are out on the roads please report any road hazards during or following a storm.
“This includes reporting blocked drains. Our teams work hard to maintain the 74,000 drains on our road network, especially as we enter the winter months, but sometimes an issue with a blocked drain only becomes apparent after a period of heavy rain. If you know of a blocked drain, please go on our website and let us know.’’